The Dark Knight: No Absolution
by COMIC-BOOKER
Summary: Jack "Ripper" Grisk a sadistic child murderer who was locked away 10 years ago by Gordon has broken free out of Arkham Asylum. Batman and Gordon must do everything they can to catch this madman before he kills a little five year old girl. Batman will have to keep his one rule in check now more than ever.
1. Chapter 1

Angela: "Good evening, this is Angela Warden for Gotham Tonight. Two hours ago the notorious child murderer Jack Grisk or better known as "Ripper", escaped from Arkham Asylum. During his escape he attacked and overpowered Dr. Hugo Strange, a well known criminal psychologist at Arkham. Commissioner Gordon captured Grisk 10 years ago during a manhunt that resulted in the deaths of three police officers. Jack Grisk was responsible for the murders of at least five little girls. Being a mother myself I urge everyone to keep your children inside. Commisioner Gord-"

A terrified expression on Alfred Pennyworth's face as he shuts off the television. Shocked and disgusted because he remembers the news reports from 10 years ago about the crimes dubbed as the "Ripper Killings". The old butler stands up and feels a familiar lump in his throat that he felt all those years ago. Heading toward the second floor and making his way to the piano that stands in the study room where he presses three piano keys that open up a hidden passageway. The apparent solid wall with a picture of Martha and Thomas Wayne hanging on it slides open and gives way towards the elevator that leads to the cave. Still upset about the news he just heard Alfred enters the elevator after the secret passageway has closed automatically and he goes down. Knowing Bruce will already be in the cave as the sun has set a few hours ago, he's surprised to find Bruce already putting on his suit with only his cowl still in his hands. Having heard the elevator opening at the back of the cave Bruce meets Alfred halfway on the platform, the expression on Alfred's face says it all. Bruce has a stern and worried gaze as he says to his faithful friend and mentor.

Bruce: "You've seen the news?"

To which Alfred nods and swallows the lingering lump in his throat because the murdering of children is something that strikes him at the heart. Responding with a soft tone of voice as he says.

Alfred: "Horrific to even think about what may happen now. Commissioner Gordon captured him six months before you returned to Gotham. Master Wayne, if I may I'd like to ask you something?"

Naturally giving an approving nod as Bruce sees how difficult this is on Alfred. Tearful eyed the old butler says to his young master.

Alfred: "Don't...let him hurt another child. Find him before he does what he did 10 years ago."

Bruce's care for Alfred and the responsibilty he feels toward protecting Gotham from his madman causes the billionaire to react by narrowing his eyes before putting on his cowl. Answering with his now deep and familiar voice as he makes Alfred a promise.

Batman: "He won't get the chance."

Alfred's eyes show more than words could ever say as he watches Batman walk toward the Batmobile on another platform. Moments later the sound of a jet engine fills the cave as the Batmobile blasts away and thus begins Batman's hunt for the Ripper. Alfred's eyes cannot contain his tears anymore as two tears roll down on each cheek as he walks back toward the elevator where he came from. Alfred's an emotional man and horrible crimes like the murder of children is something that stays with him. Meanwhile the Batmobile is racing through downtown Gotham when suddenly a small text saying "We need to talk." appears on the small computer screen at the control panel. Commissioner Gordon's only way for reaching Batman is by sending a message to an encrypted number connected to both the computer in the cave and the Batmobile. The rest of the cops still don't trust Batman neither does the media and so they have to work together in secret. Whenever Gordon contacts him they always meet up on the rooftop of an old training facility owned by the GCPD. Smoking a cigarrete and tugging at the collar of his long trench coat as the air is freezing cold tonight. Gordon waits for Batman and he isn't surprised anymore when suddenly he hears a strong and demanding voice from behind his back saying.

Batman: "He'll want revenge on you."

Gordon turns around and sees the black-clad vigilante standing near the edge. He grabs his glasses and pulls out a white handkerchief and starts cleaning them as he walks towards Batman. Clearing his voice as puts them on again and replies with a calm but somewhat tired tone of voice.

Gordon: "I know. He made me a promise when I caught him and he said if he ever got out he'll make sure to carve my name, on his first victim. He acts crazy but he isn't. Jack Grisk is the only other killer aside from that clown who ever made my stomach turn."

Batman and Gordon exchange looks and they both know the serious consequences of the danger that now roams free in Gotham. The dark-lid eyes of Gordon's secret partner stare at the tall building behind Gordon as he realizes that he doesn't know where to begin looking for Ripper.

Batman: "His old hideouts. What and where are they?"

Gordon reaches inside his trench coat and pulls out a file that has Jack Grisk's name on it and he hands it to Batman. Throwing his cigarrete away as Gordon says.

Gordon: "This is my personal file on Grisk and it contains everything I know about him. You have to find him, faster than I did the first time. He's smart and cautious."

Batman doesn't say anything as he turns away from Gordon and leaps off of the rooftop and lands down in the alley right next to the building. Holding the file in his hand he walks toward the Batmobile parked behind the old police training facility. After entering the Batmobile he spreads the file open and reads through the things he finds useful :hideouts, character description, known associates and psychiatric evaluation. One of the associates is a pimp by the name of Jimmy "Tikcer" Stevens and he's the first one to be questioned. The police are already looking for Jack Grisk and Gordon knowing that Batman is tracing Ripper's old steps, gives the order to shut every possible way in and out of the city so that the child murderer can't escape.


	2. Chapter 2

Having escaped Arkham and knowing that the police and this vigilante everyone keeps talking about will be on his tail very soon. Ripper still wearing the clothes he wore inside the asylum made his way inside a clothing store through the backdoor as he came across the owner and killed him by stabbing him to death with own keys. Brushing his hand through his greasy long brown hair he searches the store for something that resembles the clothing he wore 10 years ago on his first killing spree. Blood from the owner is dripping from Grisk's long thin fingers but it doesn't bother him and he finds a long grey trench coat along with a brown sweather and a pair of jeans. Finishing his outfit by grabbing a pair of pearl white sneakers and black leather gloves. He stares at his pale reflection in the mirror as he suffers from insomnia and hasn't slept for more than two hours a night ever since he started his horrible crimes. The bags under his eyes portray the lack of sleep but he grins at his reflection baring his somewhat yellowed teeth. Wanting revenge on the man that stopped him the first time he finds a box cutter inside the back of the clothing store and sticks it inside the pocket of his coat. Knowing he has to cover his trail and hides the body of the store's owner inside a storage room and throws a few coats on the man's corpse. He leaves the store and makes his way down the street as he decides to steal a nearby car that's parked in front of the store across the street.

Using his elbow as a tool for breaking the car's window he opens the door on the driver's side and sits down. He hotwires the car and cares little if anyone saw or heard the glass shattering of the window he just broke. He drives away and with a plan in mind for the first of many victims to come he drives towards the house of the judge that convicted him. He wants revenge on Gordon but he wants Gordon to know that each life he takes will be in his name because the commissioner stopped him the first time. Tapping his hands against the wheel as he calmly drives through G otham with the broken window letting all the wind blow in his face. They'll never expect Ripper to strike at the judge who convincted him as Grisk's method of picking his victims was by randomly abducting them on the street. He only killed adults if they got in his way and those aren't the murders he considers as beautiful. When killing a child he would take hours to torture them by cutting little cuts on their bodies and rubbing salt on the wounds before finally slashing their throats. He always signs his work by carving a scar on the left cheek of his child victims and the scars are similar to the one he has on his left cheek. Judge Carl William the man who convincted him and as it so happens he's a married man and he and his wife have a five year old daughter. Ripper's child victims were mostly all little girls and he only killed one or two boys.

Arriving at the house of the judge as he remembered the adress from a note inside Dr. Strange's office. The note was part of Grisk's personal file at Arkham. He leans on the wheel and stares at the house as everyone inside is asleep of course. He sighs and smirks a little while he says to himself with a raspy voice.

Ripper: "Always exciting."

He gets out of the car he stole and feeling the box cutter deep inside the inner pocket of his trench coat he strolls towards the front of the house and simply rings the bell. He waits and just looks to the left and the right and continues to ring it until finally someone unlocks the door from the other side. The judge's wife is the unfortunate first one to greet Ripper as she opens the door and he immediately leaps toward her and grabs her and puts his hand on her mouth. Keeping her quiet he closes the door behind him and enters the judge's house as he drags her into the living room. He throws her on the couch and sits down next to her and smiles at her with those disgusting yellow teeth of his. She's terrified and recognizes his face from the trial all those years ago but she's too afraid to even scream, gazing at him with big eyes. He shrugs his shoulders and says to her with a remarkable deep voice.

Ripper: "Well guess you're the first. I never asked this of the people I kill but how does it feel? To be in the presence of an artist and knowing you'll be helping to spread his art."

She's unable to even utter a single verb as the air in her lungs is gasping and she's holding on to her sanity as the thought that he'll go her little girl next is too much to handle. Out of an act of pure motherly love she attacks him and scratches his face with her nails as she yells up loudly for her husband who's still sleeping.

Lily: "CARL!"

Feeling the scratches on his face he becomes enraged as he grabs Lily William and throws her against a nearby coffee table and she falls head first. Hitting the edge of the table she cracks her skull and is immediately killed as she lays on the carpet with blood on her face. He kneels down next to her and grabs his box cutter and garves Gordon's name on her back. He heads up the stairs now in search for the judge and he listens carefully to hear if the judge has woken up as a result of the struggle. Still no noise as he enters the bedroom and finds the judge well asleep. He shakes his head and whispers as he approaches the bed.

Ripper: "If only you were there to save her, she'd still be alive. Probably not."

He sits down on the bed and taps the judge on his shoulder repeatedly until the 34 year old judge wakes up. Ripper greets him with a smile and the box cutter against his throat and says with a threatening but sadistic voice.

Ripper: "No you're not having a nightmare, nightmares end but this will stay with you for the rest of your life. Your wife wasn't all that welcoming and she had to leave very suddenly. I want you to give James Gordon a message from me. Tell him that the first child who's life I take will be saying his name when she dies. Oh and did I mention that it'll be your child? Sorry dad but she's mine now."

The judge grabs Ripper by his throat with all his strength as he tries desperately to fight for his daughter's life. Feeling the judge's attempt at trying to save what in Ripper's mind was meant to be, he sticks the knife inside Carl's stomach. Immediately the judge releases Ripper and he feels the sharp cutter carving a way through his skin and flesh. Pulling the knife out again Ripper stands up and stares at the bleeding judge who convincted him and he throws the judge his own cell phone. Slowly backing away toward the door he says to the judge with a mocking tone of voice.

Ripper: "Better hurry up and call before your life ends without having had any meaning at all. Don't worry she'll be in good hands."

The judge calls Gordon's number while feeling his strength fading as blood keeps flowing from the large cut on his stomach. With gasping words the judge makes Gordon know all he needs to know by saying one word "Ripper". Gordon tries to get more information from the dying judge meanwhile Ripper has entered the bedroom of little Sarah William. She's awake and laying in her bed as Ripper smiles while baring yellow teeth as he reaches out to her. His gloves are covered in blood and he grabs her and picks her up and says to her as he holds her against his chest.

Ripper: "You'll become a star little princess. We'll make them all see what real art can be."

Gordon and an entire squadron of cops are on their way toward the house of the judge and hoping they'll be there on time before Ripper can escape. But when they arrive at the house with guns at the ready all they find are the two dead bodies of Carl and Lily William. To Gordon's disgust and shock he finds a message written in blood on the wall inside the judge's bedroom. The message reads "I will kill her in your name" the promise he made Gordon all those years ago that he will carve his name on the first victim he takes. The mother has Gordon's name carved on her back but that was only a sadistic attempt at playing with Gordon's mind. Gordon knows that the first true victim will be little Sarah William unless they catch him. Unless Batman catches him.


	3. Chapter 3

Ticker: "No please man don't do me like this! I'll give you anythin' man. Please don't kill me."

Pleading words from the the notorious pimp Jimmy "Ticker" as Batman hangs him over the edge of a rooftop while he holds his legs. Jimmy's close to passing out from the fear and so Batman pulls him up and puts him on his feet. Immediately grabbing the collar of the pimp's blouse and pulling him closer while staring with an almost uncontrollable rage into the eyes of the terrified Jimmy. The snarl on Batman's upper lip combined with a spree of words he roars at Jimmy is enough to make the pimp wet himself as the white pants he's wearing can't hide his fear.

Batman: "Ripper. Where can I find him!? You gave him young girls before and now he's out again. Tell me where he is or I'll make sure you won't say anything ever AGAIN."

Jimmy's whole body shivers and he fears for his life but with a trembling voice he coughs up a few words and says with sweat dripping down his forehead.

Ticker: "Please I...don't...know. He was a freak, I stopped givin' him my girls when he...started...carving them up. He always took them...to a motel...Flash Garden..that's where he took them."

Batman's rage is only increasing as he not only thinks about what Jimmy does to the girls that work for him but also that he supplied a madman like Ripper with fresh meat. A deep growl and seconds later he dislocates Ticker's left kneecap with a powerful blow. Throwing the pimp to the side Batman walks away from him toward the other end of the roof but before jumping off he turns his head and says.

Batman: "I'll be back for you Jimmy. If you keep dealing in girls I'll keep dislocating your kneecaps."

Jumping down from the rooftop and spreading his cape as he glides through the air and away from the building and an aching and terrified Jimmy. The Flash Garden is a motel for drug dealers and pimps to gather customers and sell their filth. On his way toward the motel while driving the Batmobile he gets the latest update from Gordon on the small computer screen. The message saying "Judge Carl William and wife murdered. Sarah William is taken. She's the first." Batman now knowing that Ripper has his first victim and will begin torturing her shortly. An angry grunt spits out of him as he blasts the jet engine of the Batmobile and races toward the motel. Wanting answers and more importantly a location he'll stop at nothing to find Ripper and save little Sarah. Parking the Batmobile a few streets away from the motel and leaving it behind in the shielded protection mode he travles over rooftops. Crouching near the edge of a building across from the hotel he narrows his eyes and observes his surroundings. His long thin leather cape reacting to whatever wind is blowing behind his back. The owner of the motel gets paid by pimps and drug dealers in return for giving them free access to his motel and services. There's no easy way to all this and he doesn't want it because every minute wasted means one more minute for Ripper to enjoy himself with little Sarah. Batman leaps down from the building and spreading his cape again but he dives down and crashes through the front door of the motel. Scared out of their minds as the many junkies and a few dealers see the Batman slowly rising up in their midst from a crouched position. He doesn't even bother with the rest and immediately goes for the owner as he pulls him over the desk. Gripping the owner's throat tightly he says to him with a threatening deep voice.

Batman: "Ripper. He used to stay here with girls he got from a friend of yours. I need to find him. Now. Either you tell me where he hangs out or I'm going to start cleaning the floor with your face."

The motel owner is scared out of his mind like everyone else but a few addicts of Scarecrow's fear drug stumble down the stairs and they see a large bat-like creature threatening the motel owner. To them Batman actually appears as a monster and with their minds twisted and disfigured they rush toward Batman and start attacking him. The attack causes Batman to release the owner and focus his attention on the addicts that are attacking him. He grabs two of them and smashes their hands against the desk while sweeping his foot underneath another addict and dropping that one on the floor as well. The attack inspires the rest of the junkies and dealers to attack as well and soon it turns into a full blown fight club. Throwing junkies against the wall and punching dealers straight in the face he clears the entire room and leaves everyone unconscious with some broken bones. The owner has escaped and is running down the street and unfortunately gets hit head on by a car and dies as a result of it. Stepping out of the broken door he crashed through and seeing the car accident further up the street he sighs deeply and growls furiously as he punches the nearby wall. Having no leads or any knowledge on Ripper that's helpful he's right back where he started. Walking away from the motel and shooting a grapple at a nearby rooftop he pulls himself up and starts walking back toward the Batmobile that's parked a few streets ahead. After reaching the Batmobile again he sits down but doesn't start the engine as he grabs the files on Ripper and starts reading them again. The psychiatric evaluation of Ripper by Dr. Hugo Strange has a few interesting remarks that catch Batman's eye. The one that stands out the most is a line that says "Mr. Grisk is a sensitive human being with a need to be appreciated for his art." he narrows his eyes and stares at Ripper's added photo.

Trying to make sense of a psychotic mind is nothing new to him as he has been down this road before while trying to catch Joker all those times he escaped from Arkham. Going through every hideout that Ripper had would be useless because Sarah could already be dead if he finally found him. He throws the files on the seat next to him and he sighs again but refuses to surrender to desperation. Though someone like Ripper wants to be caught so that he can flaunt his art but he just doesn't want to be caught so soon. The appreciation he needs is the shock he sees on the faces of those that chase and hunt him so he won't try and leave Gotham. Batman starts the jet engine of the Batmobile and drives away while going over every detail of what he read in Ripper's file. He tries to link it all and possible get a clue to where he could be hiding with little Sarah.

Meanwhile inside GCPD at Gordon's office the commissioner is sitting at his desk and staring the police records of Ripper and feels like he failed little Sarah. Not knowing what to do or where to start he mostly puts his trust in Batman because he has no idea how to find Ripper. He tracked Ripper last time after he stole a police car from two officers he killed. The cop car could be tracked and that's how he caught him. Rubbing his face into his hands he shakes his head and tries desperately to come up with something that would help this case. Suddenly the telephone rings and he picks up.

Gordon: "Gordon here."

After a minute of silence a noise he wished he'd never have to hear comes from the other end of the line as he hears little Sarah's voice crying. Knowing who's calling and why the commissioner makes a fist as he tries to control his anger and says with hateful voice to the killer on the other line.

Gordon: "You sick son of a bitch! If you hurt her you'll be sorry. If you think it'll be like last time, I won't be. I'll find you and kill you. Don't you hurt her."

A mocking silence remains as Sarah's crying continues and suddenly the rasping sound of Ripper comes through and he says to the commissioner in a mocking tone of voice.

Ripper: "I don't think you've got the stomach for it. Be proud of yourself, you saw the rising of a true artist. She'll make a wonderful first expression of my art. I'll be seein' you around. Oh and before I forget, how's the wife?"

Ripper breaks the connection as he hangs up the phone and leaving Gordon in an enraged state of mind as he stands up and forcefully throws everything off of his desk. He storms out of his office with his coat hanging over his shoulder as he walks past his fellow officers who see the angry expression on his face. He gets inside his car and drives away.


	4. Chapter 4

Ripper: "My little princess. Life is meaningless without death and if you can make death into an art...amazing. They'll see how great I am and you will help me achieve greatness."

Ripper's words are void of humanity as he swirls around the box cutter in his hand while little Sarah sits in a corner wearing a tiny blue dress that he took from a doll as he brought Sarah to an abandoned doll factory. He has a jar of salt sitting on the floor next to him and he's intending on using it after he starts cutting on little Sarah. He wants everything to be perfect and he'll start making his horrific art as soon as he feels like he gave his eyes the appreciation of watching someone so pure as little Sarah William. He watches her cry with admiration on his pale face as he considers working on someone as Sarah to be the highest form of god's grace. The doll factory has a sky light that's big enough to fit a piano through. Though what neither Gordon nor Batman know is that little Sarah has a tracing chip surgically implanted on her upper right arm and this was her father's idea. Making sure they'd never lose their little girl she was given the expensive chip when she was two years old. It is still active and can be traced by an advanced tracking algorythm something similar to what the computer uses in the cave. Though if Ripper starts carving on little Sarah's body he may accidentally hit the chip in her arm and disable it. He continues to stare at her and it won't be long now before he carves the first few cuts on her tiny body.

Batman has found a possible new lead as he starts to investigate a former hideout of Ripper which is an old church abandoned years ago. There are signs of someone still living here as he finds broken bottles of beer and water and they still are moist inside. He activates the heat vision inside his cowl which allows him to see through walls and search for any living beings. He scans the area and suddenly sees body heat coming from a room at the back of the church and it seems like a hidden room. He calmly approaches the wall where the room is hidden behind and he searches for the hidden switch. He finds it which is a brick that has a symbol on it that resembles a sun and he presses it and the wall flips open to reveal a room. To Batman's surprise who he finds inside that room is not Ripper but another dangerous killer. Victor Zsasz a killer for the mob who marks his body with a scar each time he kills someone and needless to say he has quite a few scars. Batman approaches Zsasz and with a growl to his voice he says as Victor seems busy with sharpening his knives and ignores Batman's presence.

Batman: "Zsasz, I thought after the last time you'd be smart enough to leave Gotham and never come back. I warned you what would happen if I'd ever see you again."

Zsasz seems not too bothered with Batman's presence but he turns his head to face his foe and he gives Batman a sadistic smile. They fought each other last time inside a warehouse where Zsasz was keeping two officers hostage and he tortured them. Batman almost killed him and he warned Victor that if he'd ever see him again he'd finish the job. Of course he'd never cross that line but hoping it would inspire fear into the heart of the emotionless hitman. Zsasz stands up and showing his muscular frame as he only wears a pair of pants but no shoes nor any clothes on his torso. He's covered in scars and the room he's in has photos of people on them with either a red line drawn across it or nothing at all. The red line indicates people he already killed. Zsasz says with an emotionless voice as he calmly approaches Batman.

Victor: "Batman! Come to finish our dance? We'll end this now."

Not having a moment to spare for whatever Zsasz is planning Batman grabs Victor by his left arm which holds the knife and with brutal force he snaps Victor's arm. The hitman releases a painful scream but gets thrown back inside the room by a powerful kick to the stomach and he hits the wall and falls on his face as Batman closes the door. Using a miniature laser he melts the brick to a point where it becomes useless as a switch. And it keeps the door from being opened at this side and the unconscious Victor will be out for a few hours so he won't open it at his side. Walking away fast as he leaves the old church and quickly gets back inside the Batmobile while even more furious and desperate now. Each lead ends up dead and he doesn't have that much time left when suddenly he gets contacted by Alfred through the communicator inside his cowl.

Alfred: "Master Wayne, I found the whereabouts of young Sarah. The computer tracked a chip she carries with her, well actually I tracked it myself. The GPS location should be available to you any second now."

Batman: "You'd be a good cop. Thank you Alfred."

Alfred: "I'm too bloody old to be a cop. Now go and make that bastard pay for what he has done."

Apparently Alfred has been quite busy himself as he was spending all his energy on trying to find little Sarah by any means possible. Having some skill with the computer because of all those nights he spends down in the cave being Batman's primary help. It was a lucky strike that came across her chip as he accidentally activated the tracking algorythm while trying to search for helpful things. The GPS tracker on the Batmobile's control panel shows Rachel's chip and she's currently being held inside an abandoned doll factory. Blasting the jet engine of the Batmobile he races toward the GPS location and Alfred has informed Gordon as well. Meanwhile Ripper has spread a blanket on the floor and Sarah's small little body is laying on it as he kneels down next to her while holding the box cutter in his hand. The jar of salt opened and he dips the cutter into the salt so that the cut he carves will already get bloated by the salt. Ripper looks up at the sky light and he smiles with those disgusting yellow teeth of his as he says to the sky above with a midly respectful tone of voice.

Ripper: "My work will be glorious and I'll be worthy of holy praise. Bless little Sarah for being my blank canvas."

Ripper grabs Sarah's left bare leg and he very carefully brings the box cutter to her soft pink flesh. She cries as she's afraid but the pain she'll experience now will be too much for her. He brings the sharp edge to her flesh and closes his eyes and when they pop open he goes for the first cut but at that exact moment the window of the sky light above shatters. A black-clad figure leaps down in the midst of falling glass and he spreads his cape as far as possible and giving the frightening imagine of a real bat. Landing down right in front of Ripper and with an animalistic rage in his eyes the Batman kicks him right in the face and drops Ripper on his back. Immediately Batman grabs little Sarah and takes her to the side as he puts her in a big open box filled with soft garments. He slowly turns around and his eyes meet with those of Ripper as he stands up with blood dripping from a broken nose. This is the first time he has ever seen the Batman as he only heard rumors and stories about him from other inmates at Arkham. His amazement at the sight of Batman can be seen in his eyes as he doesn't seem to mind the blood dripping from his nose.


	5. Chapter 5

Ripper: "The famous Batman. You've come to appreciate my art and give me praise."

The dark-lid eyes of Batman show nothing but disgust and an uncontrollable rage as he has to really keep himself from completely tearing apart the sadistic madman in front of him. With a snarl on his upper lip and a threatening tone of voice he says to Ripper while standing protectively directly in front of the big open box where he put Sarah in.

Batman: "You murdered two innocent people and took their daughter. You were going to CUT that little girl for your own sick pleasure. YOU WERE GOING TO KILL A CHILD!"

Batman's rage bursts out of him and he leaps towards Ripper and he starts frantically smashing his fists against Ripper's stomach and face. He grabs Ripper and throws him against a pile of boxes that contain bits and pieces of doll making equipment but leaving him no time to even get up. He kicks Ripper repeatedly against the chest and he bends through his knees as he picks him up by his throat and he headbutts Ripper violently and throws him to the ground again. The child murderer's face is covered in blood and he has a few broken ribs as he's obviously no match for the Dark Knight. Laying on the floor coughing up blood and barely hanging on to his consciousness Ripper stares up at Batman and weakly smiles. The smile sends Batman into another rage as he plants his foot right on Ripper's throat and he presses down hard on it. Spitting out violent and hateful words as he yells at Ripper.

Batman: "How does it feel to be helpless!? To be at the mercy of someone stronger! TO BE THE VICTIM!"

All of a sudden a voice shakes Batman out of his furious state of mind as Commissioner Gordon has arrived on scene and surprised to find Batman there. His secret partner is almost killing Ripper which is something that Gordon has a hard time not allowing. He says to Batman as he approaches him and talks with a very calm voice while his gun is drawn and cocked.

Gordon: "He deserves to die for all that he has done. But we're not like him, not killers. He belongs in Blackgate and not Arkham. Criminals hate child killers and he'll be stuck with them for the rest of his life. You stopped him. He's not a danger anymore."

Batman manages to find his self control again and he pulls up his foot and steps away from Ripper's unconscious blood covered body. He narrows his dark eyes as he stares at Gordon and slowly looks down at his own gloves as they are covered in Ripper's blood. He sighs deeply and makes eye contact with Gordon again as he says with a deep but more controlled voice.

Batman: "You're right. Death would be too easy for him."

Batman turns toward the box where little Sarah still sits and he quickly cleans his hands as he reaches down and grabs her. He lifts her up and holds her protectively as he walks toward Gordon. Little Sarah is more at peace now though still crying a little but suddenly Ripper jumps up behind Batman with the box cutter still in his hand and he goes for Sarah. Wanting to stab her but Gordon acts quick and shoots Ripper right in the head and the child killer is put down forever. A trail of smoke flows from the barrel of Gordon's gun and the commissioner stares with focused eyes at the corpse of Jack "Ripper" Grisk. Batman slowly turns around to see Ripper's corpse and he's satisfied that a murderer like Ripper is gone and will never return. Batman couldn't pull the trigger thanks to Gordon but the commissioner did what he had to do. Gordon sighs as he puts his gun away and Batman hands Sarah to him and turns away from Gordon. He walks back toward the part of the floor that lays directly underneath the broken sky light. He grabs his grapple gun and before shooting a grappling hook up at the sky light he turns to Gordon and says.

Batman: "Not everyone deserves absolution."

Shooting the grappling hook up at the the sky light and attaching the wire to the front of his belt he gets lifted up into the air and Gordon watches him disappear out of sight. The commissioner looks at little Sarah and smiles at her as he walks out of the doll factory with her and leaving the sadistic child killer dead on the floor. Batman returns to the cave where Alfred waits to hear what happened and he greets his master as he steps out of the Batmobile. Seeing Alfred's anxious facial expression Batman removes his cowl and says to the old butler.

Bruce: "She's okay Alfred. Gordon shot and killed Ripper, he's not going to hurt anyone anymore. But I almost crossed the line tonight..I almost became one of them. I wanted to kill Ripper so bad that I could taste it. But Sarah is saved that's all that matters."

Alfred seeing the burden in Bruce's eyes as he can tell that it pains Bruce to know that he almost crossed the line of taking someone's life. The sacrifice Bruce makes to go out and face men like Ripper and not become one of them is a remarkable one and Alfred says with a grateful voice.

Alfred: "Thank you, sir."

A few weeks later in an alley behind a bar there's a familiar sight as Jimmy the "Ticker" Stevens is slapping one of his girls in the face. She didn't get paid enough by her last customer and he's punishing her for it. Suddenly Jimmy gets pulled into the darkness and the girl with a black eye listens to a deep dark voice that says.

Batman: "I told you I'd be back for you."

Jimmy screams loudly as Batman keeps his promise and dislocates both of Jimmy's kneecaps and the girl runs away. While leaving Jimmy crippled but not permanently and as he disappears further into the darkness he hears Alfred saying through the communicator in his cowl.

Alfred: "Master Wayne, was dislocating that bloak's kneecaps really necessary?"

While walking over a rooftop which he just climbed Batman releases a very slight chuckle and replies to Alfred by saying.

Batman: "I made him a promise. He tried to see if I would break it, now he knows."


End file.
